Chapter 3

Kyra-

I was incandescently happy right now. My life was utterly perfect. I had two beautiful amazing children, a loving and supportive family, and a mate that has made every day seem like it was the best day. The only thing I could want or even ask for is just hearing from Caleb, even once.

Other than that, there wasn’t anything about my life that I didn’t love. I wished Hunter was here with me. It was harder than I thought it would be to be away from him. It has only been two days, but I missed him as if I haven’t seen him in years.

I was currently outside with my family, watching as they sat together in the middle of the backyard. My parents, the twins, Alec and Zac were all playing a game of charades. Alec kept looking towards me, but I tried to ignore it. Something was troubling him, I noticed it the moment he arrived.

He wouldn’t tell me when I asked, so I didn’t push the issue. He and I have become really close over the years, but I knew enough to know he wasn’t very open about certain things. If he felt the need to tell me what was on his mind, he would in his own time.

Everyone was having such a good time, laughing and joking around, that I couldn’t help but smile. Even after all this time, I don’t think I will ever get used to having a family. It was so surreal after everything I went through growing up. Now I had a place I belonged. Never would I take it for granted.

As they all played their game, I stood on the back patio painting a portrait of them. I have improved a lot with my art and it was now something I tried to do every day. It was relaxing and it was something I loved doing.

Hunter had created an art gallery for me to display all my favorite artwork. I even had others buy my work. When someone showed interest in my art, it made me feel good, knowing that someone felt the way I did about my art. It would always be a part of me and when the day came I would no longer be here, I will leave behind something for the world.

I couldn’t imagine a better life for myself. I had everything I could ever hope for in life. It was better than I ever thought possible. Spending eternity in utter bliss is something I looked forward to. I couldn’t think of anything that could possibly ruin it.

“Okay, let's all go in for supper.” My mother spoke, just as I put the finishing touches on the painting.

I was just about to put the paint up when Zac came up and stuck his finger in the blue paint. Before I could react or get away from him, he smeared it over the bridge of my nose.

“There, now it's no longer bugging me.” Zac said, smiling like he just solved a mystery.

“What the heck was that for?”

Using the cloth I had laying across my shoulder, I wiped at the paint, probably just smearing it worse. I couldn’t even be mad at him. He was always picking on me, at first it had annoyed me, but now it was just endearing.

“Because you are just so damn perfect it was unfair, little sister.”

Yeah, absolutely couldn’t be mad at him for that. He moved to stand beside me and wrapped his arm around my shoulder. He was now standing with his back to my paint and I couldn’t resist the urge. Dipping the palm of my hand into the paint tray I had sitting on the table behind him, I lifted my hand just as he started guiding me towards the house.

“You think you are funny, don’t you?” I asked, walking with him.

“Admit it, you do too, brat.”

“Perhaps, but speaking of funny. I think you look funny too.”

We had just walked into the house and I had to keep my hand turned with my palm facing up, to keep the paint in my hand without him noticing. Excitement bubbled through me as I debated where to hit him with the paint.

“Why do you think I look funny?”

That was my cue. Sidestepping out from under his arm, I quickly smacked my palm against the side of his face and smeared it down to his neck. The look on his face was priceless. Before he had the chance to grab me or something, I darted away from him.

“You little shit! I will get you back for that!”

He took off chasing me and I took off back outside to evade him. I ran through the yard and looked over my shoulder to see him still coming after me, now caring a bottle of my acrylic paint. I was laughing so hard it was making my eyes water. I just made it around a tree when he teleported in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

“Hey! That isn’t fair!” I hollered as I dodged under his outstretched arm when he made a grab for me.

“Life isn’t fair sister. The sooner you realize it, the better you will feel.”

He was fast, especially with his ability to move through time and space to appear in a blink of an eye. Thankfully though, I was faster and I could sense where he was about to appear, giving me the advantage to dodge him.

“You two are worse than the twins. Stop playing around and get inside to get cleaned up.” I heard our mother say.

If there was one thing I have noticed, was my inability to deny my mother anything. Slowing down into a walk, I headed back towards the house. Unlike me, Zac had no problem denying our mother. Without paying attention, Zac appeared directly in front of me.

I didn’t have time to get out of his reach when he grabbed me and pulled me towards him. I felt the cool thick liquid as he squeezed the acrylic paint bottle and it landed on top of my head. I froze in place as disbelief washed over me. He had literally poured paint over my head and it was now running down my face.

“Haven’t you learned not to doubt me, sister? I told you I would get you back.”

Still frozen in place, I watched as he walked away, laughing. He must have poured the entire bottle over my head because it was gushing down me. I didn’t think there had been this much paint in the bottle, but my face was nearly covered in green paint and it was dripping down the front of my outfit.

“Are you going to stand there all evening or are you going to come inside to get cleaned up?”

My mother didn’t miss a beat. After all these years, I guess it made sense considering Zac and I played practical jokes on each other often. Heading inside, I found Zac was already cleaned and changed. He was leaning against the banister of the staircase, smiling smugly.

“The least you could do is get me cleaned up.”

“But you look so cute like that. Green looks good on you. You should think about wearing it more.”

“You’re a jerk.”

“Aw, you’re going to break my heart little sister.”

He pushed from the stairs and started towards the dining room. I was just about to head upstairs to try to get the paint cleaned off me and changed when he turned back around and waved his hand in the air.

I looked back down and saw the paint was cleared from my clothing and my skin. Reaching up, I felt my hair and it also felt clean. Shaking my head at Zac’s back, as he continued on his way. I couldn’t help but smile. Things really were perfect, I truly was happy with the way my life has turned out.

Following him into the dining room, I settled into the seat between my father and Alec. One of the cooks came out pushing a cart of food out to serve. The smell of the food reached me and I began to feel nauseous.

All the excitement must have gotten to me, at least that is what I figured was causing my stomach to become uneasy. I looked around the table at both of my children, who were talking amongst themselves about their eagerness to return home in a couple of days.

My mother and father were discussing what they were going to do tomorrow. Alec was watching me carefully, but I tried to ignore it. I had a feeling that if I asked, he wasn’t going to tell me. Zac was still smirking as he grabbed a dinner roll from the center of the table.

The only thing that was missing was Hunter, Tristan, Rex, and Caleb. Other than that, I couldn’t think of anything that could go wrong. How did I get so lucky in my life? When my plate was placed in front of me, nausea hit me hard.

Not having enough time to get up from the table, I pushed my chair back and bent over, just as I began to vomit. I heard a bit of commotion around me, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. When the contents of my stomach were emptied, I sat back up. I was just about to apologize when I heard Alec speak.

“Shit. It has begun…”

An unsettling feeling swept over me at his words. I wasn’t sure if he meant for me to hear it, considering he had whispered the words. I wasn’t even sure if he meant to speak out loud. All I knew was I was pretty sure my perfect life was about to spiral out of control.